Wednesday 8 December 2021

SUSTAINABLE SMALL BUSINESSES I LOVE

 


Sustainability means using natural resources in a way that we could keep doing for long time. We can be more sustainable by reducing our use of natural resources.  This is like taking less candy out of the jar.  For eg; You could ride a bike instead of driving, which uses less oil.  

Climate change is greatly effecting the amount of bio-diversity we have on earth. Switching to walking or cycling for more of our shorter journeys help to protect bio-diversity.

Sustainable living involve reducing the amount of earth’s resources that you use to help protect it.

In a nutshell to live a sustainable lifestyle you should try to have as little of an impact on their earth as possible. While also trying to replace the sources you do use.

In connection with sustainable living, businesses that are also sustainable helps in achieving the desired result.  Among the small sustainable businesses I love, cycle shops takes the first place, followed by eco-friendly paper bags.

India is the world’s second largest manufacturer of cycles after China and the third largest consumer as well. 

The cycle business has more customers from rural areas as villages need bicycles as mode of transport when there is no proper or effective road and infrastructure provision.

 Next to villages, schools and universities also stock up on bicycles as they need them for meeting the sports, health and fitness needs of their students and staff.

Usually till to date, cycles are regularly used by Postman, Milkman, Courier Service Personnel and small vendors.

In Chennai, the cycle business is of three different varieties which are highly useful to the people who commute to the work place using either a cycle or a public transport.  Learn how?

·        Opening a cycle shop with cycles ranging from kids to adults. If possible you may invest cycles meant for racers.

·        Hire cycle shops: This facility is still available in Chennai where you can hire a cycle on hourly basis.  With the advancement of technology, smart bikes are also available and it is operated using app.

·        Cycle stand:  This is an unique facility where the customers can leave their cycles in the cycle stands which are generally operated near the Railway stations and Bus stands.  Then, they can proceed to their destination through public transports. Till they complete  their work and get back, their cycles will be safe and secured in the stands with minimum charges.  The stands will be of a covered place so as to protect the cycles from heat and rain.

In the cycle shops, the business profits can be from 5 lakhs to 20 lakhs rupees.

 

Apart from these business issues, cycles are friendly towards environment.

·        Cycling/cycles cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions reduces air pollutants, reduces noise pollution.

·        Reduces the need for new parking lots and roadways.

·        It creates less noise less air-pollutions and results in fewer emissions that are warming the atmosphere.

·        Children can take advantage of slower and less dangerous traffic to ride bicycles as well.

·        When people walk or ride a bike as transport they are more likely to use local businesses for their shopping.

·        Riding enables people to interact socially and feel more connected with their local community.

Cycling causes virtually no environmental damage, promotes health through physical activity, takes up little space and is economical, both in direct user cost and public infrastructure cost.

In short cycling is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.

The second small business I love is eco-friendly paper bags.

To reduce the carbon footprint made by the ever-so-durable plastic bags, the paper bags can be used to protect the environment.

It is the most trusted and best eco-friendly product business idea that caters to the need of the hour.

The best part is the contemporary paper manufacturing process does not involve cutting down trees rather paper bags can be manufactured by using the raw materials like straw fiber, coconut husk, sugarcane waste, jute twine, recycled paper and elephant dung.




 Written as part of Blogchatter's campaign #ECommerceInnovation. Read more posts in the campaign 
here.

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